


DTR

by 1989Rad



Category: Red Robin (Comics), Superboy (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics), Young Justice (Comics)
Genre: Defining the Relationship, Fluff, Kisses, M/M, Miscommunication, Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-09 05:04:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18910129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1989Rad/pseuds/1989Rad
Summary: For the past few weeks, Kon had been kissing his best friend. Not just kissing. Hand holding, boning down, texting a ‘Morning :)’ even though he was well aware Tim wouldn’t be awake for hours.And to Kon, that pretty much meant they were dating. Should mean they were dating. Had to. Right? But Tim has never said anything.Never said the word ‘date’ or ‘boyfriend’ or the dreaded ‘R’ that punctuated the phrase ‘DTR.’Or - That story where Kon gets Tim to have ‘Define the Relationship’ DTR conversation.





	DTR

Kon was pretty sure he was dating his best friend. He had to be. I mean how could they not be? For the past few months (five weeks and four days to be exact) he had been kissing Tim. 

Not just kissing, but hand-holding, seeing movies, playing video games, sharing dinners, fighting bad guys, punching each other in the shoulder, playing baseball with Bart in the Catskills, talking about Wendy the Werewolf Stalker, fixing Tim’s motorcycle and damn it! 

Kon flipped on his bed and buried deep into the covers. How was that different than what they always did? It just sounded like a list of activities for bros. Some sorta fraternity recruitment pamphlet. 

But bros don’t kiss.

Kon tried to smother himself in the mattress in order to focus. Well, he reasoned, some bros kissed. European bros kissed. Bros that probably were more comfortable with platonic touching than Tim probably gave a lil’ smooch here and there. 

But Tim wasn’t one of those bros. 

Kon listened as the clock in the Kent house clicked. He had probably like seven more minutes of meltdown before he had to fly to meet Tim for their not-date. 

Of course, it wasn’t a date, Kon reasoned. Cause Tim never said the word date. He didn’t even mutter it like some dolt in a romantic comedy. Ya know the scene? The one where the love interests blurts something like “it’s a date!” and the audience laughs as the protagonist flounders. Tim didn’t do that. Tim didn’t say 'date' because Tim didn’t mean 'date'. Tim was careful with words like that. Annoyingly carefully. 

Which is why Kon was sulking. Rarely did Kon sulk about relationships because normally he was pretty sure about them. Tana and Cassie had been easy. Well, not easy. Not easy like that. That’s not fair to them. Or maybe it was fair to them cause they were like empowered women and all that, so they could be easy if that’s what they wanted to be. But it probably wasn’t best for Kon to decide if they were easy or not. 

Kon flipped over, pressed his palms into his eyes so hard it almost hurt. Krypto was chewing on something in the field. He should probably check to see if it was something actually edible. 

Sulking - wasn’t Kon’s forte. It was Tim’s. And Tim’s other forte was not being easy. Not like that also. But also kinda like that cause Tim had this crazy level of self-control when it came to fighting the urge to bone down. It was something Kon both admired and hated. Stupid Tim.

The point was that figuring how what his relationship with Tim wasn’t easy. Oh! Right! Boning down. Kon sat up, clutched at his knees, and breathed out. Bros don’t bone down. Bros with benefits wasn’t a thing, as far as Kon was concerned (though his internet history might disagree), and even if it was, Tim wasn’t the type to be a part of that. 

Kon steadied himself and tried not to listen to whatever Krypto was chewing on. It was probably one of Pa’s slippers from the sound of it and Kon didn’t feel like dealing with that. Leave it for Jon to sort out. Laser fights with Superdog were his problem now. That thought only added to his newfound desire to sulk. Maybe a quick fight with Krypto would help. 

The clock clicked and Kon realized he was for sure going to be late to his not-date with his best friend/maybe, hopefully, already boyfriend. 

Would Tim even care? Ugh. Yes. Of course, he would care. No need to be THAT melodramatic.

Kon would blame his lateness on the sulking. 

-

Tim was sitting on the curb outside the restaurant when Kon touched down about a block away. He dressed in a good and proper Conner Kent themed outfit. Dorky glasses, and plaid shirt. Maybe he could find a way to work the leather jacket back into his civilian look. Just cause Superman chose to walk around like a major nerd, didn’t mean Kon had to. 

As he walked he listened to Tim’s heartbeat. Steady, measured, and not at all like the fluttered pace of Tana’s heart before a date. Stupid. Dumb Bat heart probably forgot how to be nervous. 

Kon rounded the corner to see his not-boyfriend twiddling on his phone. The sushi/burrito sign was obnoxiously bright against the grim backdrop of Gotham. Tim had picked the restaurant. Said that they should go while Bart was busy so he wouldn’t feel left out. Bart wouldn’t care if they ate sushi without him. But the thought also confused Kon. Tim and Conner did a lot without Bart. Mainly kissing and boning, but also other things. 

Unless they didn’t. 

Was Tim also semi-not-dating Bart and Kon had been too self-centered to notice he was in a weird quasi-love triangle with his best friend? Wouldn't be the weirdest thing. It’s not like their friend group wasn’t a bit incestuous. They still hadn’t talked about Tim’s relationship with Cassie while he was dead. 

Tim lifted his head to meet Kon’s and smiled through his teasing tone. “You’re late.” It was a small Tim smile, but it still made Kon’s breath catch. 

“I know,” Kon admitted with no fight. 

Tim pushed himself to stand and tried to use his hands to wipe away whatever the mess of Gotham left on him. Tim was wearing some sort of a t-shirt, sweatshirt, flannel combination, that should look extra dumb but didn’t. “Not even going to argue,” Tim hummed, “or ya know come up with some excuse about geese getting in the way?” 

“Not today,” he answered and Tim swallowed. Is this what sulking felt like? Cause it sorta just felt like being a downer. Tim’s smile faltered and he lifted his hand to touch Kon’s shoulder. 

Friendly, Kon thought. 

“Kon,” he started with some sort of low sincerity that made Kon feel like an ass, “are you ok?” Conner took the pause as a chance to go over the evidence and avoid Tim’s stupid hero-empathy eyes. 

Kon and Tim kissed exactly five weeks and six days ago. They had sex about two weeks later. They texted every day, sent messages with smiley faces, ranted about their stresses, woke up in each other's arms, and yet, Tim didn’t greet him with a kiss. He only touched him like a friend in public. Kon could really feel the cartoonish rain cloud starting to drizzle on his head. 

“No. Can we talk?” Tim’s heart stuttered in his ear. His jaw clenched as his hand dropped. Kon watched Tim’s eyes as they fell to his chest. Kon suddenly felt like he took Pa’s slipper away from Krypto. Like some sort of fun crusher. Tim nodded sharply. “Do you want to talk inside or-”

“Let’s walk,” Kon interrupted. Kon always thought better when he was moving. Tim always talked better when he didn’t have to make eye contact. 

They both stuffed their hands into their respective pockets and began to walk. Kon was honestly surprised at his behavior. Had hoped flying would shake him out of his funk. True, the question of what they were had been nagging at him for a while now, but it really was reaching new heights this past week. Tim had spent the last five days on a mission with Dick in the Middle East doing whatever Bats do in the desert, which left Kon to think a lot more than usual. 

Maybe it was the lack of romantic hello that pushed Kon from sulking to full-on brooding. You’d think Tim would at least hug him after being apart for that long. 

“Did something happen?” Tim asked honestly once they had walked a block. “Are you in trouble? I have a drop point not too far from here so I can chang-”

“No. It’s nothing like that. Nothing super.” 

Except that it totally was super. Super dumb that he wasn’t sure if he was dating his best friend or not. Super annoying that Tim, someone who as far as Kon could remember was always dating someone (Ariana, Steph, Dana, Cassie, Tam) wasn’t clear about dating him or not. Super lame cause he didn’t want to have this conversation. SUPER DUPER stupid that he couldn’t just hold Tim’s hand right now. 

Kon wanted to hold Tim’s hand, get a sushi burrito and fool around on Tim's couch. He wanted to call Tim his boyfriend and kiss him in front of the whole Young Justice team. Heck, he would even kiss him in front of Batman, if Tim really wanted to date him. Any threat of Kryptonite would be worth it. 

“Did someone get hurt-”

“No,” Kon jumped back into the conversation. “No, I said it was nothing super.”

“Someone could hurt without it being related to super stuff,” Tim argued. Kon watched as guilt washed over Tim. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap. Just,” he stepped so his shoulders would bump against Conner’s. He smiled instantly at Tim’s weird touch. “want to know what’s up?”

Tim peered up at him through fanned eyelashes and Kon took a deep breath. 

“I like this, Tim,” Kon exhausted. “I really do. These last few weeks has been like crazy fun but I-” and just like that Tim’s heart did some sort of summersault into panic town. Kon stopped moving as Tim took extra one or two paces. He turned to look back at his not-boyfriend with a neutral expression. No emotion readable besides the banging fear in his heart. 

Kon felt the brooding falter. A tinge of rage jumping up and into his throat. “That!” 

“What?” Tim said looking back over his shoulder.

“That’s my problem,” Kon answered stepping forward like anything he was saying made sense to someone, not his head. He pointed at Tim’s chest, “Your heart is out of control anxious but your face looks like someone’s reading you an instruction manual for a blender.” Tim raised an eyebrow and Kon felt his brain tumble over itself. “No, wait, bad example cause you’d probably find something interesting in blender’s introduction manual. Ugh.” He rubbed his hand over his face and squirmed a bit.

“My heart,” Tim searched, “is the problem?” Kon watched as something morphed across Tim’s features like he was trying to solve a puzzle without every piece. Or maybe it was more like Tim was trying to show how he was feeling but his face wasn’t having it. Either way, it made Kon’s anger fade back into sulking. 

“Nah, no. Your heart isn’t the problem. The problem is I don’t know what your feeling.” Tim’s nose scrunched at that and settled back into that black expression Kon was really starting to dislike. Tim seemed to catch himself and forced his eyes to meet Conor. 

“I don’t know what to say to that.” Kon bit the inside of his cheek. The people of Gotham continued to shuffle past them. Uncaring of their rising voices. Tim took a step closer to Kon. “But uh I can just explain how I’m feeling. Right now, I’m feeling anxious.” 

“I got that,” Kon answered a bit too quickly. Tim winced and Kon bit back some guilt.

“And I guess, I’m worried.” 

“Why worried?” Kon tilted his head as he spoke. Tim reached up to push his hair behind his ears and Kon took note of their red tint. 

Tim swallowed hard and then spoke all too quickly, “Cause it feels like you’re about to break up with me.”

Kon huffed a messy breath, his anger getting the better of him as he threw his hands out between them and sniped. “That makes no sense. How can we break up if we aren’t together, Tim?”

And that’s when Kon saw something shatter on Tim’s face. His eyes darted for an exit as his mouth muttered a soft “I’m so stupid” too quiet for non-super ears. Tim instantly folded his arms over himself, squeezing his skin a bit too aggressively for comfort and Kon couldn’t help himself. The sulk has taken a life of his own.

“What do you mean you’re stupid? You think it’s stupid to date me?”

“Stupid cause I thought we were already dating!” Tim’s voice rose like thunder in Kon’s ears. Cracked and violent. “Stupid because this whole time I thought you were my boyfriend. God, some detective I am. Ya know, I told Dick and Steph? And, oh my god! I told them and now I have to take it back like an idiot like this isn’t embarrassing enough. Like I haven’t been lying to myself, how could I be so-”

Sometimes Kon wished life had a rewind button. A chance to pause, replay a scene, hear something a second time to just make sure he truly heard it right, and then, only then, would he have to act. Cause, wow, damn yeah. 

Tim already thought they were dating. 

“Wait, Tim, Oh my god,” Kon grabbed at Tim’s shoulders to stop him from flailing, “what do you mean? Do you want to date me?”

Tim looked at him like he was the biggest idiot in the world, and like maybe he was, but also he also super needed to hear Tim say it. “Of course, I want to date you. I already thought we were dating! What did you think this was?”

Kon shrugged and mumbled, “Uh bros with benefits?” And just like that Tim punched him in the gut. Kon refused to let go and held Tim firmly in place. The crowd didn’t even seem to notice, Kon realized. Man, Gotham must be a hell hole. “Wrong wording! I got it. I didn’t like the phrase either.”

“Then why did you say it!”

“Because I was being dumb,” Kon admitted.

“Then stop being dumb!”

“I’ve been sulking for the last week because I wasn't sure if we were dating or not.” 

“I thought we were! Like I’ve been having you stay over, trying to cook for you, kissing you, and I even got you a toothbrush. Isn’t that dating?” 

“It could be,” Kon grunted as he pulled Tim’s body against his chest, ignoring how awkward Tim’s balled fists felt squished between them. “But I wanted to know, you know. Hear it for sure.” Kon was curved uncomfortably in order to whisper against the shell of Tim’s ear. “ I can’t read between the lines super well.” 

Tim slowly untensed his body and wrapped his arms around Conor’s waist. “You could have asked,” he mumbled into Conner’s chest.

“You could have too.”

Tim crowded his head against Conner’s to pry it away from his shoulder. He looks downright offended. “I didn’t think I needed to.”

“Well,” Kon started, “now you need to.”

Tim’s eyes squinted as he spoke, “Need to what?”

“Ask me out,” and he pushed Tim away from his chest and tried not to find any joy in the Robin’s small stumble. “You can’t just assume I know what your thinking. I’m not going to pick up on subtle cues. Getting me a toothbrush isn’t the same as asking me to be your boyfriend.” 

Tim tried to blink away his flush. “Why can’t you ask?”

 

“Because I’m the one who started the ‘Define the Relationship’ convo. It’s your turn to contribute.” 

The space between them seemed to shrink as Tim gathered up some courage. “Fine,” he coughed and shifted his gaze to meet Kon’s dead on. Kon did his best not to squirm under Tim’s focus. The gloom of Gotham faded behind them. “Conner Kent,” Tim started with a click of his tongue, “will you be my boyfriend?”

Kon popped out his hip and folded his arms in mock consideration. His heart crowded his chest in joy. “Hmm,” Kon started, “Depends. Are you paying for dinner?”

“I always pay for dinner.”

“Then it’s a deal. I will be your boyfriend,” he sang before taking Tim’s cheeks in his hand, “Thank you so much for asking.” Tim rolled his eyes and lifted his hands to grip Kon’s wrists. His thumbs caressed the soft skin. There was a slight tremble in the way Tim caressed him. Kon took a second to appreciate how Tim’s eyes shimmered in the-

“Are you guys going to kiss or what?” They both turned to see an older woman on a bench a few feet over. The woman was clearly in her late 60s and seemed to be wearing a suit from the same era. She raised a daring eyebrow at the two, “Well?” Tim huffed in the woman’s direction before pushing onto his toes to kiss Conner on his cheek. “Oh come on, “I’ve seen better kisses on the Hallmark channel.”

Kon smirked and turned back to Tim. 

“You heard the lady!” Conner kissed his boyfriend like Gotham wasn’t watching.


End file.
